Cora Cash believes herself like Emma Woodhouse to be ‘handsome, clever and rich;’ but her destiny is more likely to be charted by her mother. Nothing less than a British title will do. When she literally falls into the hands of the enigmatic Duke of Wareham when she falls from her horse, the story takes readers though a year or so of her maiden voyage learning about expectations in the upper class world of fin de siècle England. Some of the characters are a bit stereotyped, but it’s a great page-turning read while we wait for another year of ‘Downton Abbey!’

posted Nov 21, 2012 at 9:38AM

*** stars. Cora Cash ( yes, Cash) the wealthiest heiress in America goes to England to buy herself a title. She leaves behind a young man who lacks the courage to marry her and takes with her a mother, who is far from endearing. She "stumbles" upon a Duke with a mother to more than match her own. Think "Downton Abbey". The Duke, who was the second son, inherited the title only when his beloved brother died. Add to this an imagined or real mistress to the Duke, the Prince of Wales, and the downstairs staff and you have a great collection of characters and egos. Perhaps the most sympathetic person is Cora's black maid who tries to find an honorable means of weaving her way through the intrigue. I enjoyed the book. I believe the author would like to be Edith Wharton, but no one is, so the book cannot be held to such a standard. You are left guessing until the very end whether the Duke is a cad or man in love with his wife. A very nice read. Recommend.

posted Apr 29, 2013 at 7:35PM

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